Vitor Reis | £29.4m deal agreed (p43)

[Tevez City]

Shopping really lift the mood, and hopefully these new additions will lift the team as well.

 

[Dribble]

I know he’s made of glass, but losing stones means losing an experience leader, who’s hugely popular with pep and the squad. On his day he’s world class and can play midfield as well. I’d keep him

Stones is useless to us in the treatment room. It's on the pitch we need him, which is becoming increasingly rare for the 30 year old.

It's time to put sentiment aside & look to the future. This is the most miserable season we've had to endure since Pellegrini, & things need to change.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Shopping really lift the mood, and hopefully these new additions will lift the team as well

I've been following the Mrs round aldi for over an hour and I can assure you shopping isn't lifting my mood.

 

[BlueMoonRisin’]

I've been following the Mrs round aldi for over an hour and I can assure you shopping isn't lifting my mood.

If you're in Aldi at this time of night you must be shoplifting ; )

 

[Xhavenjoe]

If you're in Aldi at this time of night you must be shoplifting ; )

I'm a mystery shopper

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Stones is useless to us in the treatment room. It's on the pitch we need him, which is becoming increasingly rare for the 30 year old.

It's time to put sentiment aside & look to the future. This is the most miserable season we've had to endure since Pellegrini, & things need to change.

Yep, I love John Stones, but since he's joined us, here's how many league games he's managed per season: 27, 18, 24, 16, 22, 14, 23, 16, and 8 so far this season. Those are Ledley King numbers.

 

[Dribble]

Yep, I love John Stones, but since he's joined us, here's how many league games he's managed per season: 27, 18, 24, 16, 22, 14, 23, 16, and 8 so far this season. Those are Ledley King numbers.

That's why it pains me to repeatedly see Stones drawing his decrepit body to England duty every time he gets the call. His injury situation will only degrade further with his advancing age.

It's time we began preparing for life beyond Stones, Walker, KDB, Bernardo, Kovacic, Aké & Gundog, & brought in serious competition & cover for Rodri.

The situations regarding Nunes & Jack also need urgent attention. That's over a third of the outfield squad with serious question marks over their immediate futures, & we have little to fall back on without them.

How/why have we allowed this situation to develop?

 

[King Jay]

That’s where those 2 younger CB come into play and Marmoush. Next step is the midfield. Those players will be easily replaced during the next 4 windows in my opinion. If Jack leaves that gives room to someone like Baéna in summer who should also be KDB‘s replacement at the same time. Honestly I’d like to see someone like Livramento too. If everything goes well Gundo and Kovacic can/ will be replaced by Wright& O‘Reilly but that’s hard to tell.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

That's why it pains me to repeatedly see Stones drawing his decrepit body to England duty every time he gets the call. His injury situation will only degrade further with his advancing age.

It's time we began preparing for life beyond Stones, Walker, KDB, Bernardo, Kovacic, Aké & Gundog, & brought in serious competition & cover for Rodri.

The situations regarding Nunes & Jack also need urgent attention. That's over a third of the outfield squad with serious question marks over their immediate futures, & we have little to fall back on without them.

How/why have we allowed this situation to develop?

Well yeah, Ake hasn't been much better.

10, 14, 26, 29 and 8 so far this season. At least he's got better every season, but we've had awful luck with injuries at CB. Ake had an injury the season before we bought him, and I remember a few people being a bit worried. But the two seasons before that, he played every game, so he was hardly a crock until he came to us.

 

[Dribble]

Well yeah, Ake hasn't been much better.

10, 14, 26, 29 and 8 so far this season. At least he's got better every season, but we've had awful luck with injuries at CB. Ake had an injury the season before we bought him, and I remember a few people being a bit worried. But the two seasons before that, he played every game, so he was hardly a crock until he came to us.

I think it's the product of having a small elite squad playing 60+ games per season. We've rinsed them like an F1 car which has shortened their career spans.

We should've either expanded the squad or put the succession planning in place way before now. We've had the best of all of them. They've all played at the highest level, & reaped the rewards on & off pitch, but we've hammered them.

Pep has lessons to learn from this season. As I said, we either have a larger squad, or we plan to replace players from when they hit 30 years old, if injuries start to pile up & their physicality slips below a certain level.

 

[neph27]

Does he strike anyone as a bit lean for a CB

He’s 18 is the big thing. Long legs you can project him to add good functional weight and muscle as he ages. He’s just a pre peak player.

Exciting frame, mentality, current skill for his age.

 

[Keeper!]

That's why it pains me to repeatedly see Stones drawing his decrepit body to England duty every time he gets the call. His injury situation will only degrade further with his advancing age.

It's time we began preparing for life beyond Stones, Walker, KDB, Bernardo, Kovacic, Aké & Gundog, & brought in serious competition & cover for Rodri.

The situations regarding Nunes & Jack also need urgent attention. That's over a third of the outfield squad with serious question marks over their immediate futures, & we have little to fall back on without them.

How/why have we allowed this situation to develop?

Complacency and far too loyal.

Loyalty is a great trait but it can also come back to haunt you as we have seen this season.

Elite clubs/winning clubs keep winning by been ruthless and make tough and seemingly callous decisions on players/coaches.

Players come and go, some leave as legends but most go and are soon forgotten, that's the nature of sport. Sadly now we have far too many of our fan base that seem to support players more than the club, I find that strange.

 

[Keeper!]

I know he’s made of glass, but losing stones means losing an experience leader, who’s hugely popular with pep and the squad. On his day he’s world class and can play midfield as well. I’d keep him

The last time he was world class was when he was MOM in Istanbul, he was magnificent that night, something very special but let's not kid ourselves, he has hardly been seen since and it's cost us badly.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

He’s 18 is the big thing. Long legs you can project him to add good functional weight and muscle as he ages. He’s just a pre peak player.

Exciting frame, mentality, current skill for his age.

One thing I would potentially question is his international record. If he's as good as they say, why has his only international experience come at under-17 level? Why no under-21 experience or even under-18? There might be a legitimate reason for that, of course. But our previous direct from South America signings were already breaking into the senior squad by the time we brought them in, which suggests he's much less developed than Alvarez or Gabby were when we brought them in.

 

[lowe71]

With all the constant injuries we get at CB it's exciting we are linked with 2 young CBs, but even if we get them both in does anybody seriously think PEP will play them ? PEP doesn't trust kids Pusey can't get on the field even with or current issues PEP would rather put walker or even gundog in ,4-0 up against WMU and still no oReilly,Pusey mcatee only come on at 80 minutes as long as there's a hole in my backside KIDS won't play.Just imagine if citys academy had that kid yamal from barca do you think he would be a superstar if at city?probably wouldn't even of played a game.

 

[Haaland94]

With all the constant injuries we get at CB it's exciting we are linked with 2 young CBs, but even if we get them both in does anybody seriously think PEP will play them ? PEP doesn't trust kids Pusey can't get on the field even with or current issues PEP would rather put walker or even gundog in ,4-0 up against WMU and still no oReilly,Pusey mcatee only come on at 80 minutes as long as there's a hole in my backside KIDS won't play.Just imagine if citys academy had that kid yamal from barca do you think he would be a superstar if at city?probably wouldn't even of played a game.

These guys are way better than the likes of Pusey, that's why we are buying them at these prices. They wouldn't be signing for the bench when they have all the top European clubs after them. They will get a considerable amount of minutes.

 

[eastmanc]

With all the constant injuries we get at CB it's exciting we are linked with 2 young CBs, but even if we get them both in does anybody seriously think PEP will play them ? PEP doesn't trust kids Pusey can't get on the field even with or current issues PEP would rather put walker or even gundog in ,4-0 up against WMU and still no oReilly,Pusey mcatee only come on at 80 minutes as long as there's a hole in my backside KIDS won't play.Just imagine if citys academy had that kid yamal from barca do you think he would be a superstar if at city?probably wouldn't even of played a game.

Nonsense. Why did Phil Foden make it at City then?

 

[lowe71]

These guys are way better than the likes of Pusey, that's why we are buying them at these prices. They wouldn't be signing for the bench when they have all the top European clubs after them. They will get a considerable amount of minutes.

I hope you're right pal just can't see it

 

[Kippax Kidd]

I hope you're right pal just can't see it

How . You literally know nothing about this guy.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

With all the constant injuries we get at CB it's exciting we are linked with 2 young CBs, but even if we get them both in does anybody seriously think PEP will play them ? PEP doesn't trust kids Pusey can't get on the field even with or current issues PEP would rather put walker or even gundog in ,4-0 up against WMU and still no oReilly,Pusey mcatee only come on at 80 minutes as long as there's a hole in my backside KIDS won't play.Just imagine if citys academy had that kid yamal from barca do you think he would be a superstar if at city?probably wouldn't even of played a game.

He's played Lewis ahead of Walker for most of the season. Simpson-Pusey isn't playing because he's 19 years-old with 2 senior appearances to his name. And you're right, Pep doesn't trust youngsters with that level of experience to start, because that sort of player should be eased into the team in situations where the stakes are lower, and he can make mistakes surrounded by experienced teammates. As it is, he's been asked to play in a makeshift defence with no protection. It's especially the case with defensive players. It's easy to bring a young winger on and have them run at a few players, because if it doesn't come off, it's not the end of the world.

It's kinda the problem with the way the youth system is in England. Youth games aren't competitive enough to develop players, so you have to send your best youngsters out on loan to make the next step. But what does that say about who's left? Well it means that the players left at the club are the younger ones that are further behind in their development. And in that situation, it's not surprising to see managers preferring to play an experienced defender slightly out of position.